Sneaking Around
by Leleanor
Summary: Sirius is getting suspicious. Everybody he knows appears to be involved in affairs, and no one is telling him anything... Review. Please. Is it good? Bad? Should it be shorter? Longer? Funnier? Lighter?


**Sneaking Around**

Remus was very adept at reading people. It was a very useful skill to have, as it usually meant Remus could make himself scarce when Sirius seemed about to explode, or when James looked as though he might start recounting his latest tale of woe regarding the lovely Lily Evans. Unfortunately, there were times when there was no opportunity to escape, and this particular sunny afternoon in June was one of them. Remus, Peter and James were relaxing under a tree near the lake, Remus attempting to read a novel with James and Peter playing a violent game of Exploding Snap in the background. When the bangs ceased, Remus assumed they had finally lost all their cards, and glanced up to comment on the welcomed silence.

However, as he looked up, he noticed Sirius. He noticed the irate expression on Sirius' face, the terrified first years he was leaving in his wake, and the noticeable lack of a subtle escape route. Remus swore loudly inside his head, but smiled at Sirius all the same as he approached. Sirius, in turn managed a grimace before angrily exclaiming, "I think Regulus is _seeing_ someone!"

Unfortunately, for Sirius at least, this statement was not met with gasps of horror, but instead a silence as they all looked at him, until finally James said, "Well, Padfoot mate, hate to tell you this, but he is nearly sixteen… and since you've been dating since you were twelve-"

"It's not the same thing!" Sirius interrupted him, "He's my little brother! He shouldn't be… shouldn't have… it's not the same…" he trailed off pathetically. Remus looked at him for a while, and then, having regretfully placed his book back in his bag, patted the ground beside himself. Sirius dropped down beside him, elegantly as always, and then lay over Remus' lap. Remus gave him some chocolate to placate him, and then asked "Sirius, what makes you think he's 'seeing someone'?" Thankfully, Sirius had been calmed by the chocolate, and by Remus' stroking of his hair, and so merely sighed before launching into his story.

"Well, first of all, every time I see him, he's all shifty – not like Reggy shifty, but properly shifty, you know?"

"No Paddy, we don't have a clue." James cut in, "But carry on anyway."

"Look, I know Reggy, and this isn't him. He's told me he's getting tutoring from someone – tutoring! Reg must be the bloody cleverest boy in his year – I mean, he is related to me – so he's _obviously_ lying. But because you keep bloody taking the Map Moony, I can never tell who he's disappearing with! What are you doing with it all the time anyway? There can't be that many adjustments left to do! So yeah, he's going out of his way to avoid me, and you _know_ we've been getting on better this year – oh, come on, you guys must have noticed it too? Every time he sees us coming he blushes like mad and then goes in the opposite direction to avoid me!"

Remus coughed, and Peter glanced at him and grinned. James said, "Paddy, I realise how protective you are, and that you feel he's your responsibility, but honestly, I think he can look after himself. Whoever he is with, he or she is probably the best person for him – I mean, he is related to you, as you say, and it's not like you make bad choices – you've got us for friends!"

Sirius looked at him and sighed once again, before eventually conceding that "Perhaps he _is_ old enough to look after himself now. But still, I want to know who it is so that at least I can threaten to cause them extreme pain if they hurt him in any way!" The loud rumble of an approaching thunderstorm made sure that Sirius missed the uncomfortable look on Remus' face. James noticed, but said "Who's up for swimming in the rain?" Sirius' face broke into an evil grin, and he yelled "Race you!" before running full pelt at the dark water, James hot on his heels, and Peter following, with a wave to Remus.

Remus picked up his bag, along with Peter's and headed back inside, as he really, really didn't want his books to get wet. Besides, he preferred storms when he was inside.

The next day dawned sunny once again, and once again the four decided to spend it outdoors. Outside, the lawn was filled with students lounging on the grass, talking and laughing, revelling in the summer sun. Around midday, underneath their tree once again, Sirius fell asleep on Remus' lap, while the latter attempted, once again, to read his novel.

The sun was lower in the sky when Sirius awoke, and he realised why he had woken almost immediately – the nice, warm Remmy-cushion was disappearing into the distance fast, with a figure Sirius thought he recognised, before they both rounded the corner. He looked at James and Peter, who both seemed incredibly unconcerned at the fact that their best friend had just run off with some boy. Sirius voiced his concerns at their lack of concern, at which they both looked at him and started to laugh.

"What? What?! Am I missing something? Why do I feel like everyone knows something that I don't?"

"Because they do?" asked Lily, suddenly appearing at Peter's side. "James, could I possibly borrow your Transfiguration textbook? Only mine appears to have gone missing, and I can't bring myself to lecture Alice at the moment." James produced the textbook, Lily thanked him, she left and he smiled. Sirius wanted to cry. First, because it wasn't a cocky grin, or even a dreamy, wistful smile, it was a grown-up smile and Sirius did not like to think of growing up. Secondly, it appeared to have made both James and Peter forget, once again, that Remus had run off with some boy. Sirius was extremely put out, although mostly because his cushion was now gone.

"Guys, don't you care that Remus is having some illicit affair that he's not telling us about?" Sirius complained petulantly.

"Not really, it's none of our business is it?" Peter said, adding under his breath, "Since we already know".

James snorted, and Sirius looked between them and then pouted.

"I hate you both. I feel like everybody around me has secrets. I mean, first Reg and this thing that he's trying to hide from me, and you and Lily with your little dancing lightly around each other James, and now Remmy and whoever his new toy boy is!"

Remus had returned later, looking particularly flushed, but had begged off dinner on the grounds of feeling particularly ill, and left quickly - the whole conversation had lasted about twenty seconds. Sirius would have been suspicious, but he was really very hungry, and to be honest, Remus really did look a little feverish. However, Sirius saved some food for him just in case, and after dinner they headed back to the Common Room.

"I'm just going to see if Remmy wants this," Sirius said, but before he could leave, James said quickly "Um, I really don't think he will mate… I mean, he's probably asleep now… and it's nearly full moon, you wouldn't want to wake him, would you?"

"James… do you know something I don't? About Remus? Is this about this afternoon when he went off with that guy? He's up there now isn't he? With him? Why hasn't he told me who he is? Does he not like me any more? James? Do you know anything? Because if you know, and you're not telling me…"

"Me? Paddy I'm offended… and why would I know any more than you? Remus loves you lots and lots, you've got that little canine-bond thing going on, why would he tell me and not you? Why Paddy, why?"

"…huh. Ok, well, he does love me best doesn't he?"

"Of course he does Pads. Of course he does."

"Ok. Ok. Well, I'll just go and leave this for him anyway, in case he wants it later…"

James looked at Peter, and Peter looked at James. As Sirius started towards the stairs, Peter whsispered, "D'you reckon there's enough time to go get popcorn from the Kitchens to watch the show?"

"What's popcorn?" whispered James, "And no, I don't think there is…but it should be fun anyway." He grinned, and they both leaned back on the sofa.

Sirius walked up the stairs and opened the door quietly, not wanting to wake Remus by accident – a tired werewolf is not a happy werewolf. Concentrating on not dropping the food, he picked his way over the mess that was the dormitory floor, and lifted his eyes to Remus' bed. He put the food down on the bedside table, and lifted up the curtain to check on Remus.

The silencing charm suddenly lost its effect, and Sirius suddenly realised why it had been quite so quiet.

"Agh! Moony, oh God sorry, I thought you were asleep! I brought you some food, oh God Moony, why didn't you just tell me you were with someone! I wouldn't have minded! Oh God Moony, my eyes!"

Remus, looking remarkably blasé for someone caught in bed, merely raised his eyebrows, rolled his eyes, and said, "For God's sake Sirius, it's not like you can see anything, I'm covered with a duvet! And would you mind leaving now? I'll talk to you later, but I'm a little in the middle of something…"

Sirius looked at him in disbelief, and said "Wha,..? But… you're- "

"_Busy._ So please, _leave_."

"Wha…" Sirius began again, but then seemed to regain himself, and said, "No. I think I at least deserve to know who you've been sneaking around behind my back with!"

"Look, Siri, I really don't think that's a good idea, we can talk about it later- " Remus stopped as Sirius yanked the covers down. He stared, blank-eyed at the figure underneath Remus, who in turn blinked at him and said sheepishly, "Um… hey, Siri… fancy seeing you here?"

"Reg! You - what - him – both – I… _my brother and my best friend!_" Sirius shrieked.

"See, _this_ is why we didn't tell you… we knew you'd overreact and um… well, actually it was pretty funny watching you get all frustrated trying to work it out." Regulus finished sounding significantly less guiltily than he should have done, in Sirius' opinion. He looked at them both, and then said, "Right, well I'll be in the Common Room and then we're going to _talk_." But then he seemed to rethink this, and said, "No, whatever, scratch that. I don't care. But _you_-" here he turned to Remus, "you hurt him, and I will break you. And _you_-" at this, he turned to Regulus, "you hurt him, and I will break you." He sounded so serious, neither laughed. They nodded solemnly, like a pair of duvet wrapped nodding dogs, and Sirius left, shutting the door behind him. He walked downstairs, and promptly threw himself into James' lap, and cried that he had lost his brother and his best friend in one fell swoop. James stroked his hair, conjured some tissues and offered him a chocolate frog. And soon enough, Sirius got over it.


End file.
